Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-03-04

briefly, TO Mr.. Jones. who compiled so
promptly as greatly to astonish Tad,
and then. obedient to a gesture from
him of the cane, the fraudulent Jones
vanished with considerable celebrity
round the nearest corner, while the
small man walked quietly away.
"That's City-Dotectivc Blossom-he's
been in our place lots of times" Tad
heard telegraph messenger-boy in
form another. in awe-struck tones,
ard, after admiringly watching the
small man out Of sight, the two seam
pered n together. w rrf4
Strikes me that my friend Jones
won't get hold Of this same little bag
us easy as he thought for" chuckled
Tad, unconscious that the gentleman
in question, with his hat pulled down
over his forehead like the villain in n
play, was watching his movements
from neighboring doorway.
But whittier should Tad turn his foot
stepsP Uptown or downtown, or
stopa minute! The sachel must con-
tain something Of more than ordinary
value-a fact which the fraudulent
Jones had IN some way diseoyeTsdc sis5
why was he SO anxious to get possess
sion of itP
"Chaps like him don't take the
chances on an empty bag, " soliloquized
Tad, with wise shake of the head,
"and, accordin' to my way Of thinking,
somebody'll be Offering reward for
this bit Of property before long"
Which reasoning resulted in Tad's
investing half his stock of ready cash
in the purchase of three daily papers,
in whose columns he hoped TO find pos
sible mention made of the lost sachel.
The purchase itself decided the direc-
ton of his steps. He knew that along
most city wharves were sheltered and
sunny spots, where he could sit down
and glance over his papers. undis-
turbed by oflicious policemen. '8
Having been duly directed~ by a
sharp-voiced newsboy, Tad began max
ing his way wharfward, through mar
row and not particularly inviting
street, knswn as Lewis Lane. The
theory of cause and effect was visible
on every hand, in the shape Of flourish
ing liquor-shops and miserable tene-
ments. Shabbily-dressed men lounged
ON every corner. filing the air with
oaths and tobacco-smokc, while shrill-
voiced women gossiped in the door
ways and swarms Of dirty children pad
died in the cutters.
Come. now--you give us that purpl"
said threatening voice, and Tad
looked suddenlyround. Avery ragged
boy. whose hair was cut close to his
bullet head, stood confronting n neatly
dressed girl, rather younger than him
self. who, from her appearance, was
evidently stranger in the neighbor-
hood.
"Av We don't hand i'm over, Wen
take i'm away from yez in less'n two
shakes. chimed in Hibernian voice,
whose owner was red-haired youth of
fourteen summers or thereabouts. In
his dirty fingers was string from
which dangled an empty oyster-can,
destined, as Tad at once saw, MS an
attachment to the tail of small and
decidedly dirty dog which the girl was
hugging tightly against her white
apron, very much to its detriment.
The young and unprotected female
compressed her lips, and, looking quite
defiantly at her opponents, deigned no
reply to their amiable intimations. But
Tad thought that she also glanced at
him rather anxiously, as though fearing
he might array himself on the side of
the foe.
"Sure, I w'udn't be afeared of
gurrl, Bob scornfully insinuated the
red-headed, in an undertone, and, thus
stipulated, Bob took step forward,
but Tad was too quick for him.